Paraffin remover for oil wells



June 1 1, I I N. ET AL; v

2,679,905 ARAFFI QREMQVER oR o L' w EzLLs Filed A5511, 7; 1 952 'IJAMES NORMAN MANGUM .FRANK'RLRALEY;

. I I. IINVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented June 1 1954 2,679,905 PARAFFIN REMOVER FOR OIL WELLS James Norman Kermit, Tex., Mangum and Kermit, Tex.

Mangum and Frank R. Raley, assignors of one-half to said one-half to Walter D. Powers,

Application April 7, 1952, Serial N 0. 280,992

Claims.

This invention relates to tools for removing parafiin and other foreign matter from the tubing and easing of oil wells. Particularly, the inven tion has reference to improvements in paraflln removing tools havingspiraled blades arranged for vertical movement in the tubing or casing to be cleaned.

An object of the invention is to impart rotation to a paraffin remover of the spiralled blade type in a direction whereby the efficiency of the tool is increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in addition to the foregoing object, an arrangement and construction whereby the torque applied to such tool is substantially reduced or eliminated.

Thes and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a length of well casing in an earth formation and showing 1 the invention tubing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken elevation showing one of the spiralled units mounted on the mandrel comprising a part of the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged broken perspective view showing the arrangement of one of the spiralled guide slots relative to the spiral of its associated blade.

Figure 4 is a broken transverse sectional view showing a pin projecting from the tool mandrel and engaging a spiralled slot in a blade supporting sleeve for turning the latter.

Figure 5 is an enlarged broken perspective view of the spear head guide secured to the lower end of the mandrel.

A typical Well installation is shown in Figure 1 wherein a well casing I II is positioned in an earth formation H, and wherein a length of tubing I2 is provided through the casing for raising oil to the earth surface. The present invention is secured to the lower end of a sinker bar I3, and which sinker bar is secured to jars and a cable, not shown, capable of vertical reciprocating movement, such as employed in the cable tool method of drilling wells. The invention includes a mandrel I 4 of round stock and is provided with a threaded shouldered fitting I5 on its upper end for attachment to the sinker bar I3. The lower end of the mandrel I4 is provided with a shouldered fitting I 6 having a downwardly directed flat spear head guide I! secured therein. The width of the spear head guide I! is slightly less than the diameter of the tubing I2 to be cleaned. Upper and lower sleeves I8 and positioned within a length of well I9 are rotatably mounted on the mandrel l4 and each sleeve is provided with spiralled blades 28 and 2I therearound, the said blades being spiralled in opposite directions and each including at least one complete revolution around its axial center. The blades 20 and 2| are rigidly secured to their respective sleeves l8 and by any suitable means, such as welding. Each sleeve I8 and I9 is provided with a. spiralled slot 22 and 23, each slot being spiralled in a direction opposite that of its associated blade. Laterally projecting pins 24 and 25, in the form of shouldered screws, are attached to the mandrel I4 and are provided with rollers 26 and 21 for engaging the sides of the respective slots 22 and 23. A tubular spacer 28 is mounted for free rotation and sliding movement on the mandrel I4 between the sleeves l8 and I9. The outside diameters defined by the spiralled blades 20 and 2| are slightly less than the inside diameter of the well tubing I2. It is to be understood that the described construction may be employed in connection with the removal of paraffin and foreign matter from the inside walls of easing, such as I2, by making the diameters of the spirals 20 and 2| of suflicient size; similarly, the spear head I! would have to be correspondingly wider. The inner edges of the blades 26 and 2| may be provided with notches 29 and 30, if necessary, to accommodate the projectin ends of the pins 24 and 25.

In operation, the tool is lowered with a vertical reciprocating movement in the well tubing I2 to be cleaned. The opposite sides of the spear head or guide I? contact and penetrate the parafiln lining the Wall of the tubing I2 and thus reduce torque which might otherwise be applied to the mandrel I4. At the beginning of each down stroke, the sleeves I8 and I9 are in their lowermost positions. As the blades 20 and 2I contact the parafiin they are retarded against rotation by the relative action of the projecting pins 24 and 25 in the spiralled slots 22 and 23, but the continued downward movement of the pins causes the blades to rotate and to provide a, rotary scraping action for removing the parafiin. The displaced parafiin is removed from the Well by a washing action, such as ordinarily employed for removing cuttings when drilling a well.

. The invention is not limited to the construction herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A tool for cleaning paraffin and other foreign matter from the tubing or casing of a well, said a tool comprising a relatively long mandrel adapted to be lowered vertically in the tubing or casing of the well to be cleaned, at least one tubular sleeve mounted for rotation on said mandrel, said sleeve including a spiralled slot therein and generally arranged lengthwise thereof, a pin projecting "from said mandrel and extending into said slot, and a :spiralled bladerigid with and projecting from the outer surface of said sleeve,

the spiral of said blade being in a direction o.p

posite that of said slot.

2. A tool for cleaning paraiiin'and other foreign matter from the tubingor casing of a well, said tool comprising a relatively long imandrel adapted to be lowered vertically into the tubing or casing to be cleaned, two tubular sleeves mounted for rotation on said mandreheach said sleeve including a spiralled slot therein generally arranged lengthwise thereof, the curves of said spirals being arranged in directions opposite to each-other, pins -projectin g from said mandrel iandrespectively extending into said slots, and a spiralled blade projecting the outer surface of each :said sleeve, the spirals of each said blade being-in a direction opposite that of the slot in its associated said sleeve.

3. :In combination with aztool for cleaning parafiln and other foreign matter from the tubular casing of a well as defined in claim 1, a fiat spear head guide rigidly secured to the lower end of said mandrel, the width of said spear head being substantially equal to the outside diameter defined by said spiralled blade.

4. A'tool for cleaning paraffin and other foreign matter from the "tubing or masing'of a well as defined in claim 2, a flat spear head guide se- =cured to the lower end of said mandrel, the width of said spearhead being substantially equal to the outside diameter defined by said spiralled blade.

;5. Aitooliforacleaning parafiin and other foreign matter from the tubing or casing of a well as defined iii-claim l, the construction wherein a roller isrotatably mounted on said pin and arranged for contacting the sides of said spiralled slot.

References Cited in .the :file of this patent UN'I'I'ED STATES PATENTS Number Name "Date 2,146363 Underwood Feb.17,1939 2,295,058 'Smethers Sept. 8, I942 2,601,614 Johnson June 24,1952 

